Should I Quit My Job? I Want to Climb!

“Should I Quit My Job for Climbing?”

I get some form of this question from time to time.

“Hi Mr. CC. I really don’t like my job and I think I’ve saved enough for a road trip. What do you think about leaving this job and traveling for a year or more? Will an extended road trip hurt my finances?”

Well…let’s take a look.

First off, this question is nearly impossible to answer with a single blanket response. But I’ll try to establish some reasonable boundaries.

The motivations to drop work and hit the road are complex and many. Our upbringing and other life experiences instill different value systems. Some of us will find internal resistance to the idea of closing the valve on the school-to-job-to-job pipeline (me). Meanwhile, others will find it hard to stake down the tent of life and avoid blowing with any change in the wind. And as the pandemic recedes and savings pile on, millions of Americans are quitting their jobs.

When I sort of quit my job and sold our house to hit the road, I was leaning towards a world I’d never embraced; a world where I simply experienced each day and didn’t report to an office or a boss Monday through Friday.

But Mrs. CC and I being who we are, we waited until we saved and invested enough money to theoretically never work again.

Do you need to go to such extremes to take an extended trip? No, you don’t. But here are some suggestions.

How Much Does My Life Cost?

The first (and most important) question to answer is how much our life costs. As usual, I recommend tracking spending for 1-3 months to gauge an approximate range. Fluff this number by 10% at least. Life has taught me to expect the unexpected.

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How Much Have I Saved Before I Quit My Job?

Clearly (if we don’t plan to work), we need to save at least as much as our life costs. Again, I’d fluff this number heavily, because we need to account for (1) unexpected costs on the road; and (2) resettling costs and time to find new employment when the trip ends.

Personally, being the fiscal conservative that I am, I’d do the following:

Cost of living = 1.5 x typical living expenses

So, if my life costs $20,000 per year now, I’d assume I’ll spend about $30,000 per year. This fluffing allows for unexpected expenses and either extended travel or time/money necessary for security deposit on a new spot, time to find work, etc.

Is this overkill? Probably. In all likelihood, especially if camping or living out of a vehicle, spending will decrease. That said, the feeling of running out of money is not an emotion I like to embrace. Also, folks tend to forget how expensive it is to move. If you exit the road trip to a new apartment or other housing arrangement, the up-front costs can be ridiculous. Or worse yet, if vehicle, mechanical, or medical problems are incurred, spending can balloon quickly.

Or perhaps everything goes perfectly and we want to stay on the road longer. Now we have the funds. Booyah.

Will I Work?

With the pandemic surge in remote work, folks are now able to keep their jobs as they travel across the country. However, there’s a big difference between a comfy home office and life on the road. Here is more on my wife’s experience working from the road. YMMV.

Alternatively, the traditional model is to pick up short-term, in-person gigs along the way. This method can be highly effective and a good social opportunity. The more plentiful opportunities will be in the service sector—think restaurants, bars, coffee shops, etc., —but income can be obtained through traditional in-person work on the road. Are income streams consistently reliable? I’d venture to say no (I’ve never tried), but others here may have different experiences. Any thoughts?

How Am I Traveling?

Options here range from sleeping in the car and tent you already own, to spending $100,000 on a house on wheels. I won’t say much here, as the options are up to the individual and their desire for comfort, as well as budget.

My key recommendation: do not take on debt for any sort of recreation vehicle.

Here’s more of our thought process on buying our camper.

(Related Post: Van Life: The Economics and Trade-Offs)

Health Insurance After I Quit My Job

The misperception still persists that healthcare is unaffordable for traveling climbers (or early retirees). I still run into folks who are dangerously winging it or clinging to hated jobs for security.

With the subsidy programs provided by the Affordable Healthcare Act (“Obamacare” for haters and lovers alike), there really aren’t any reasons to go without health insurance. For many folks, a bronze plan can be FREE.

Health insurance is good and will keep you from insolvency.

Check out this link to see the cost of healthcare coverage in your state.

Here is my comprehensive review of changes to the Affordable Care Act under the CARES Act of 2021.

These new changes make health insurance even cheaper!

Do I Really Want to Travel That Long?

I was one of those folks who spent the occasional long weekend or week-long trip as my vacation schedule allowed. I was convinced I could travel indefinitely with my non-climbing wife.

But I was wrong.

There are many elements of life on the road that are truly magical. Conversely, there are very trying moments as we juggle all of life’s now more complicated errands, nature’s will, each other’s unique desires in a very small space, and that new proj in a dusty cave. This life will not be a good fit for everyone for the long haul.

(Related Post: In Contrast: The Reality of Life on the Road)

I don’t have statistics, but after speaking to myriad travelers and climbers who’ve lived on the road, not many seem to last more than about two years. Many are done after the first winter.

If possible, test living on the road for at least two consecutive weeks to a month. I don’t find a long weekend or even a week to be a good gauge of sustainability.

Can I Go Back After I Quit My Job?

Considering career potential in every field is an important matter, and I’m not uniquely qualified to give that kind of broad advice.

For instance, a nurse working in the Midwest will perhaps have no trouble finding work again after time away. Someone doing my old job—a geologist in the oil and gas industry—well, I wouldn’t bet on it. Some may never have to miss a day of work while enjoying life on the road.

You, dear reader, are most qualified to answer this question. Is the work you do in demand? Can you negotiate fully remote work? What is the Plan B if the previous job is no longer available? Are savings sufficient to allow time to search for a new job upon your return?

I Haven’t Tested Everything

The truth is, I’ve only quit a job once in my life without immediate plans for another one. And that was my last job; after we’d achieved full financial independence: story here. I haven’t actually lived out many of these recommendations as they’re written here.

I know some folks will scoff at the left-brain centric assessments and cautious toe-dipping of life, instead letting only motivations and emotions be a guide.

And that may work.

But it’s not my way.

For me, the key is to find a balance from being Type-A, in search of the need to control every minute of my life. I’m learning to let, at risk of being painfully cliché, my heart be a guide. If we slide too far towards the corners of our logical or feeling brains, we ultimately find frustration.

If you want to do a long road trip, do it! Just don’t make yourself broke.

If you’ve been hitting it hard on life by spreadsheet metrics, crushing the quantifiable game and optimized in every way, then loosen the collar, man!

If you’ve been drifting for years and want to settle down, build a career and save money, you too should feel no shame.

We all need balance, and the duty is ours to find out what parts of our emotions are being neglected.

As Tom Robbins would say, if it’s sloppy, eat it over the sink.

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